A Ripple in Time
by Raigon
Summary: Okay my first code geass fic. Summary: What if things had been different? What would have happen if Suzaku had discovered the identity of Zero before Zero discovered the identity of the pilot of the lancelot? A what if fic...
1. Prologue

A Ripple in Time

[A Code Geass fanfic]

By Raigon

Suzaku walked alone.

His mind is in a mess as he tries to put together the pieces to make them fit differently. Something had to be wrong, something couldn't quite be right. He had to have seen it wrong, but he knew without any kind of doubt that he had seen it correctly. There was no other way to look at things, no other way for things to have been, and despite this rambling that went on in his brain and heart things were painfully clear.

Things would never be the same.

He put his head in his hand as he thought back to the moment that had changed everything.

_The wind whipped in his face as he looked upwards, the sound of Lelouche's voice in distress could be heard behind him. The sun glaringly bright, but he saw it in that instant as clear as day. The cat that they had been chasing had for a moment stood on the still of the bell tower. Its head peeking over the edge, and he felt his stomach drop and a chill up and down his spine. The world went silent, and all he could see was the cat in front of him, and what was on the cat's head._

_Suzaku is no genius, but he isn't an idiot either. This couldn't be, but why else would Lelouche be so eager to find it? What would be his reasoning for working this hard to capture the cat, and why he didn't want him to help?_

_A muffled yelp and the sound of someone sliding brought Suzaku back to reality as he reacted before he could think. He saw his best friend sliding down towards a deadly drop, and he reacted before he could think. He slid downwards towards him and reached a hand out to the boy. Gripping him before he could fall to the ground below Suzaku pulls him towards himself and back towards the window that they had come. It had all happen so fast, but as he heard Lelouche tell him to go ahead and that he would retrieve the item he was searching for Suzaku could do nothing more than agree._

_His mind was numb to the new knowledge and his heart throb painfully. Even when Lelouche announced him as his friend, and gave him a position on the student counsel …all Suzaku could feel was numbness. The weak smile he put on his face for everyone and everything after that was mere formality as Suzaku looked at the black and gray cat in Lelouche's arms and recognized that things would never be the same._

This is why he walked alone now as he came nearer and nearer to his destiny. The knowledge eating at his conscience as he committed himself to the task at hand, which is simply a nice dinner with Nunnelly. Though, he knew before this night was over …he would lose a friend, and maybe his own mind. He walked to the door, and rang the bell to see Lelouche's smiling face. Though he tried his best to mirror his, Suzaku knew that it wouldn't go all the way to the soul like his friend. Time seems to tick by slowly, and everything tasted like dirt. The want to run away was stirring in his chest, but the knowledge that there was nowhere to run kept him there. Nunnelly eventually went away for the night, and soon the two were alone. Suzaku sat there looking at Lelouche, and Lelouche finally decided to ask him what was wrong. It was now or never, and thus Suzaku spoke and everything changed. A single ripple in a small pond would eventually make a huge wave.

PROLOGUE FINISHED


	2. Chapter 1: Admission

**CHAPTER ONE**

Admission

The wind whistled through his hair as he grumbled lightly in his head, but nothing came out of his mouth. It wasn't that he didn't like walks …he just didn't like what this one would entail. It wasn't like he didn't have an heads up that something was wrong, Suzaku, had spent the entire dinner either avoiding eye contact or moving things around on his plate with a distracted look in his eyes. More than once, Nunnelly had called him and he had started to awareness instead of simply answering the question. It was sure signs that things weren't well, and worst still … when Nunnelly had left he asked to go on a walk.

That was the final straw as Lelouche racked his mind to think of what this conversation could be about. Suzaku wasn't the type to talk about his feelings, and his troubles he normally let them brew until they almost consume him. Thus, it wasn't going to be a talk where there is anything he could help resolved …more like getting some decision of his out in the open. The last time Suzaku had asked him to go on a walk with him, it had ended with him having a bloody nose, and the boy's professing his hatred of Britannia's stuck up attitudes. Though things had gotten better after that, Lelouche have never forgotten a walk with Suzaku wasn't a good thing.

Thus, he went through the possible list for this little outing.

First on the list, was that Suzaku wanted to refuse his kind gesture of being accepted into the student council, and needed his help to get out of it after accepting. Milly wasn't exactly the easiest person to approach with bad news or rejection for that matter. This one was the most likely in his book considering how Suzaku was so determined not to cause trouble for him and Nunnelly.

He could see the reasoning behind that decision.

Suzaku was still not well liked at the school. There were those that still believe he had something to do with Clovis death, which is why as they got nearer to the exit of the school the boy put on his shades. Then, there is the fact that he is still in the military, both play a part with it, and there was always the risk that someone from his squad could come looking for him and stumble upon them. The chances of it being someone that would recognize them are low, but, Suzaku is the type that a 0.01 chance will still cause him to worry. It seemed strange to him to think that this is same boy that had no problems with plowing his fist into the face of the neighbor kids for his sake one minute, and the next doing it to Lelouche himself.

Though, was that enough reason for a walk? It was hard to decide, though practically the same this Suzaku was different from the one in the past, so this might be enough of a reason to.

Then there is the second reason, maybe the stress of the school's environment had gotten to him, and Suzaku had decided to quit. He probably didn't want Nunnelly to know, and was trying to think of how to tell Lelouche this as well as they walked. Though, this one was the less likely, Suzaku didn't quit anything very easily. The boy could be proven wrong as hell, and still argue he was right until every bit of proof against that point has been extinguish and he had finally been all but forced to give up. Though, then again, Suzaku might have changed since then. He couldn't help remembering that this is the same person that is still in the military that destroyed his country and made two very obvious attempts on his life. Maybe, the idiot had lost his backbone during that time, and had decided he was going to become a martyr full time.

He sighs lightly there was still a bit of anger and resentment in him for doing all that to free his friend only to have him willingly walk back into the mouth of the beast with a grin and some dumb ass comment.

All this thinking was getting him nowhere for once, maybe, the direct approach was best, they had long since left the academy, and Suzaku had said nothing as they came to a city park. There was no one around at this hour as most would be finishing dinner or be spending this time with their family, though, the sunset is beautiful. It was very dramatic scenery for what could happen, and it made a sense of déjà' vu run through him. Something big was happening, as the third option for this walk tremble through him.

He didn't even want to think of it, but he couldn't ignore this possibility.

Suzaku had seen what the cat held.

"Suz---"

He was quickly cut off.

"Lelouche, I have to ask you something seriously."

That got my full attention as I let his interruption slide, and he looked away from me. At the sunset, a sure sign that things were going to get worse before they got better as he took my silences to mean to continue.

"You aren't Zero, right?"

_The pebble disappeared into the pond._

"I mean, you wouldn't do something as reckless and stupid as to become that mask terrorist and to put yourself and Nunnelly into danger like that?" "You wouldn't …kill your own family member would you?" "Not after all that you said about hating what happen to your mom you wouldn't go down that road as well would you?"

The question came out, and my body reacted in surprise. My facial expression took a darker tone for a moment, and my mind spun with varies scenario and different ways that this can end. None of them seemed good, and short of killing him there seemed to be only one way out as I tried first the most positive of the scenario. The one I hoped would be the conclusion of it all.

"No, why would I do something that ---"

"You are lying."

_A small splash breaks the surface._

"You took too long to think about it." "You were weighting your options like in chess."

Suzaku declares as he turns his face to look at Lelouche then. The dark glasses hiding his eyes and the expression that hid within them. The clue of what steps I should take next as his words made it clear that I couldn't take the less harmful way out of this, and I sighed lightly. I took a much more solid stance myself.

"Humph, I never thought you would catch me in a lie …you was so horrible at poker. " "Yes Suzaku, I am Zero, so what will you do now, Suzaku?" "If you capture me now and …convince them of who I am…you will effectively cause my death and Nunnelly's as well." "Though, I am sure that they will appreciate your actions." "You will more than likely get some sort of promotion that is fitting of an eleven." "Maybe, they will give you your own platoon to send on the front lines and kill those helpless elevens yourself." "I am sure, your people would be grateful to die at your hands instead of the Britannia's."

There was bitterness in my voice.

Those dark shades hid it, but there were other signals to read. His body language, the way it stiffens up for a fraction of a second before he made it relax. A clenching of his fist, and the way his feet came together where earlier they were apart. The blow was obvious, and it had smarted as I kept my own expressions completely neutral. I waited for his answer. It would decide next the path I choose. The way that I would have to handle Suzaku, because, I knew he wouldn't turn me in. Not now, and not never, but there are other ways to sabotage me. One of the most potential was probably resting quite comfortably right now, and the other was merely his interferences in my ability to move about as I please. He might be low ranking, but he could do such a thing without anyone thinking it too weird. This was thanks to my own misstep with how to handle the events afterwards with the cat, and inviting him into the student council.

"I am sure they are more grateful to you for killing your own brother, Prince Clovis, and making the mistreatment of Elevens worse." "Even more so now that the military feels it has been made a fool of for putting me on the stand, and having a scandal in their own back yard, they will take every chance they can to exact their revenge upon any elevens brave enough to enter the military." "I am sure that the elevens that died in the ghetto were happy that you and the rebels choose that place to hide in, as well, and I should thank you for giving me the chance to take a bullet for you because I was stupid enough to believe what you said about not being a terrorist."

Suzaku rounded on Lelouche.

That gesture was one that he remembered welled before a beating could take place. He was pissed, and the right word would be enough to start a fight as Lelouche thought carefully. He wouldn't kill him, but still, it would be troublesome to explain the bruises without making Suzaku public enemy number one though that would solve one of his problems if things kept going down this path.

Lelouche knew it was now or never.

"I wasn't a terrorist then, but, try watching your best friend killed in your place." "Then have those same said men come after you to try and finish the job." "Do you seriously expect me to simply accept that?" "To lie down and die?" "What would you have done?"

"Not become a terrorist for one!" "That's why they wanted to kill you in the first place."

Suzaku shouted back in response. Though he had a drawn a blank after that. He wasn't sure what he would have done, but he knew he wouldn't have done that. He wouldn't …have done that, right? Though there was a place in his mind that told him differently. If the gun had pointed at Lelouche instead of him, and his friend had died ….that commander probably would have followed right afterwards. Though that wasn't what happen, he was alive, and he was well. There was no sense in Lelouche's reasoning to fight anymore.

"Anyway, I am fine." "You can see that now …you can quit." "You don't have to be Zero anymore, and you can live out your life happily and safe with Nunnelly." "You don't have to do this anymore."

Suzaku tries to work on the premise that everything was okay now. That Lelouche didn't have to do anything anymore, and then he saw a steely resolve come over him then. Suzaku had hit a point that even Lelouche had to recognize. He had done what he had meant to do. He could simply walk away, and let things be. He didn't need to push it any further and now was probably the best time to simply disappear. No one knew who he was, and he has taken his revenge against those that had tried to take his life, and saved Suzaku. No one would blame him for turning around and walking away, and it probably was the smartest thing for him to do, but Lelouche smiled.

Suzaku knew that it wasn't going to end then.

That Zero wasn't going to just go away, and that Lelouche still had some other purpose for this rebellion.

"I won't let you do this."

Suzaku counters immediately to that smile. His resolve was clear in his shoulders, and the way that he leveled his glance to met those of Lelouche's. It wasn't going to be fist fight, but a battle of wills. That was clear, but lelouche knew something that Suzaku didn't. There was no way for him to win such a battle.

"I can stop you."

There was fire in Suzaku's voice, but, Lelouche knew how to quell them. Though, this was the last thing he wanted to do. This it seemed was his only choice other than having Suzaku killed, and he couldn't …not in a million years do that. He knew that the reasoning behind what he was doing now was simply, because, his friend worried for him, and didn't want him caught up in this bloody world. Though, he is entirely too late to shield him now. They are at a stalemate, but he is going to break that now.

Lelouche makes his eyes met those of Suzaku then as he said the words quite clearly as one of his eyes …seemed to change. An image of a bird seems to appear in the midst of that indigo ring that continued to grow and grow until the entire iris seemed to be purple. The bird flying free of its confines as Suzaku glares at Lelouche unmoving. Though Lelouche knew it wouldn't remain that way as he regretted what he was about to do next. His voice seemingly to echo in the brilliantly colored sky.

"No, I am afraid you can't."

_The first ring forms as the water dips slightly from the entrances of the pebble. The splash creating a shockwave on the water's surface as it is pushed outwards ….the distortion flowing outwards growing along the way._

Chapter 1 –finished


	3. Chapter 2: Remission

**CHAPTER TWO**

REMISSION

An indigo bird flew free of its cage.

Its wings flapping in freedom for a few brief moments as it headed for the darkness in the ring of green. A new cage for it, but this one would be of its own design. A cage that will hold both the bird and the will of its owner for as long as they both existed and the bird had no plans of ever disappearing.

"You will give up all feelings of duty and responsibility towards the Britannia military."

The indigo bird reached its destination as it shattered against the darkness.

Lelouch gave the command as he looked at his friend as there was a sort of tension in this Geass. Unlike the ones before there was no smile of victory, and no feeling of utter accomplishment at shattering his will. The only feelings he got from this is the ringing hollowness of his own words in his ear, and the knowledge that he had committed a terrible sin against his friend. Though there was nothing he could do now as he watched the tensing of Suzaku's shoulders, the rigidness of his stance, it was all indication of something bigger. His mind, his attitude prior had been against him, but now, a slow transition from the stiffness of the command to the blissful unawareness. This was all proof of the acceptances of his command, of his will, as Lelouch moved his hand across the Geass eye to make sure that the connection was broken. It wouldn't do for the person to come too, and see the Geass still presence in his eye.

The deed was done now.

He could already see the stupid look on his face, and then next would be the questions of why they were out here and what they had been doing. He could easily answer them all, but, the question themselves would drive home the permanency of what he had done. He raised his eyes to see Suzaku looking at him, and waited for the question.

"What in the hell happened to your eye?"

Lelouch looked up surprised. That was not the question he was expecting.

Lelouch's eye trick had taken Suzaku completely by surprise. If it wasn't for the utter seriousness of the moment prior, and the commanding tone that Lelouch's voice had gotten Suzaku would have thought it all a joke. But, he knew, he knew his friend's mannerism enough to know that that had been no joke. That what he had commanded, he had actually expected him to do, and that trick with his eye was supposed to have helped him as a cold chill went down Suzaku's spine. He had a bad feeling that he had barely escaped something horrible as he looked at the stun face of his friend, and decided it was best to press the issue now.

"What did you just try to do to me?"

Lelouch felt his back against the wall. Suzaku had seen it, and Lelouch wanted to cuss for his recognition of it. Things were rapidly getting out of hand as it went from bad to worst as he looked at Suzaku in a new light, his mind trying to figure out where he had gone wrong. Why had his geass failed? A thousand different scenarios playing out in his mind as he tries to figure out if contact with C.C was the reason, or if nationality had something to do with it. He had never known anyone else that had actually touched C.C nor had he had a reason to use it on Japanese before today. If these were a part of his Geass limits it was important that he finds out. Though, this wasn't the way that he wanted to stumble across such information.

His mind veering back to the cat, the source of all his woes today, and whether or not that grey cat was dark enough to be counted into the black cat lore.

"Suzaku what are you talking about?"

Lelouch answered back as calmly as possible. Trying to shield the actual tormoil in his mind as Suzaku seemed to be quickly losing his patiences at this situation.

"Don't play dumb your eye changed!" "That wasn't all, but you tried to give me an order like that day we first met as children." "Lelouch tell me the truth what is happening to you?"

Suzaku was genuinely concern as he reaches up to touch the shades on his face. His hand going to push the shades higher so that he could look directly into his friend's eye. Though his hands stops with his fingers just hooked underneath the side of handles. His eyes spotting something that made him uneasy on Lelouch's face. The boy's eyes had suddenly seem to light up as he finger his shades, and a sense of déjà vu made him leave it alone. That look he now remembered clearly appeared right before Lelouch would check mate him as Suzaku moved backwards a bit.

Lelouch's eyes narrowed. He believes he now know his flaw.

He couldn't believe he had made such a bad mistake, but a second voice in his head assured him that it was reasonable. He had tried out his Geass against those that wore regular glasses, and found it no trouble, so of course he wouldn't doubt his powers with shades. The two were pretty similiar in his mind, and since most people didn't wear shades nowdays anyway, and his school was pretty strict about dress code it made sense why he hadn't test that theory before. No, only Suzaku would make a mess of things by wearing a disguise that only consisted of shades. Though many would have laughed at such a disguise, Lelouch had to marvel at the genius of it even as he hated this situation that said disguise had created. To Britiannias, all Elevens are the same, and only Suzaku's piercing green eyes would set him apart from them. Thus, he would gain no recognition amongst them wear those shades, and as for Japenese, they are so used to having to wear such things because of black eyes and such that no one would look him over twice to see that he was the same person that was on television earlier. It was simple, but effective, and at this moment as annoying as hell.

"Look it's getting late." "Maybe, your eyes are playing tricks on you, or something, because what you are talking about is utter nonsense." "So, how about we call this a day and talk about this later?"

He took a stern stance. Suzaku took one back. This wasn't some childish discussion that they could simply talk his way out of.

His body drooping at the shoulders as Lelouch refused to confirm Suzaku's suspicious. He couldn't just turn his back and walk away even though he felt like it. Suzaku would take that as an opening to press things further, and so, Lelouch waited on Suzaku to give him grounds to leave. He made his resolution clear that he wasn't going to continue this any further, and Suzaku knew it was as impossible to press the matter any further.

"This isn't over Lelouch."

"I never said that it was Suzaku, in fact, I said we would talk about this later."

"Fine, tomorrow after school, we will meet right here."

Lelouch shook his head quickly.

"No, it's best if we met back at my place." "I don't want anyone to overhear us, and I will…"

"Then my dorm room is best." "There is a chance that Nunnelly might overhear us if we talk there, and I don't want to make up some excuse to send her away."

Suzaku replies quickly and Lelouch waits only a few moments before nodding.

The place didn't matter.

He would Geass him, and this entire situation would be resolved.

Thus, with their next meeting confirmed, the two went their separate ways as Suzaku had other plans for the night other than returning to the academy. Something about what Lelouch had tried to do seem to tug at the back of his mind, and he had some inkling where to find the answer. While, Lelouch set about making sure he wasn't going to end up in a stalemate the next time they met. His was going to test his Geass to make sure that Suzaku's shades were indeed the cause of his failure.

_The water surface was thrown into chaos by the single stone as the water that was pushed into the air by the stone striking the surface came back down to create more ripples. More distortion, more chaos, as the ripples soon overtook the entire surface of the water._

Chapter two ~ finished


	4. Chapter 3: Rising Action

CHAPTER THREE

RISING ACTION

That night, two people went about researching their opponent for the next day. One, looking up the past looking for the error there, and the other testing the present to make sure that there would be none in the future. Both with the same idea in mind, and that is they wouldn't fail next time they met.

Suzaku woke up with a yawn, and the popping of joints as he stretched.

It had been a rather uncomfortable night. He hadn't meant to spend it in the control room, but to be quite honest it was probably the only place where he had access to the information he was looking for as well as the quiet that he would need to concentrate. Though, most didn't think that upon meeting him, but Suzaku wasn't a stranger to technology nor was he some barbaric idiot that was only good on the battlefield. His true talent had always been with machines, and his ability to use them. Though that was always pushed aside like his intellect for his more notable talents, his skills in the martial arts and weaponry.

"So, one cold night sleeping in a chair …."

He started, but stopped.

It should have been a cold night, but as he notices the blanket on the floor he realized it hadn't been as bad as he thought it had been. Someone must have come in during the night and put the blanket on him, and his mind went to only one person whom would have done such a thing. He must have been mentally wipe out not to notice her at all. His mind whirling as his eyes suddenly went to the computer in alarm.

Had he left it on what he had been researching during the night?

Relief flooded over him as he saw that the last thing he had been doing last night was his home work. Even with his concern with Lelouch, he still couldn't afford to fall too far behind especially if indeed his mind had been playing trick with him last night. Thus, after running into dead end after dead end, he had determined he might as well do his homework to try and relieve some stress and help him concentrate on something else. A sigh escapes him, he could look at a gun and tell what model it was, the rate of the shots that would escape the barrel, and even be able to take it apart and put it back together blindfold, yet, somehow English literature was beyond him. It didn't make sense, especially considering he spoke three languages for pity sake.

Suzaku put his head back on the console where he had been resting prior.

Nope his homework was not a stress reliever as his mind came back to his most urgent problem.

Lelouch

What he learned the night prior was a hell lot of nothing.

First off, he learned that no one bother to confirm what had happen to the gas that had once been in the capsule afterwards, and this included the entire Orange incident. In fact, the entire issue of it was pretty much stricken off the records. Second, he learned there was absolutely no record of the girl that had been locked in the gas capsule in the tunnels. This bother him a little bit, because, he felt that somehow this was all her fault. He didn't know why, but, it was a gut feeling, and over time he had learned to trust such feelings. It was such a feeling that had helped him find Lelouch in the first place down there, and besides, her body hadn't been found either after that incident. Third, he learned that his entire squad had died thanks to mass suicide. Okay maybe this isn't really new news. He had known about it during his imprisonment. Hell that had been one of the reasons that they thought he was guilty, but his concern wasn't on that piece of information then. Instead, his focus had been on the fact he was in a cell for something he hadn't done, the person in front of him was trying to find out the truth of that incident with their foot, and that his childhood friend might be laying somewhere amongst the varies corpses dead. So, when he had been assured that his friend wasn't amongst the dead, and had been pretty much been told he wasn't going to be some sort of unwilling martyr to the purist cause he hadn't spare another thought to the subject. Though this should have been a tip off to everyone that something strange was going on, or maybe they had thought it was the effects of the gas, but then again, they knew better. There had been no gas in that capsule, so why no investigation.

He would have to be a genius to understand that one, but that didn't let him off the hook.

He sat backwards in his seat.

The frustration getting to him as his mind ran it over and over again. His part in all of this, and if he had realized it sooner how much more likely he could have kept him from this path. The words that had come from Zero, the feelings that he had ignored, and the unasked question that he had been too relieve to ask him or better yet too afraid.

"Why didn't I ever think to ask him?"

A fist slams the console.

"Damn it."

Worst still wasn't him trying to figure out the cause of this mess, but how to resolve it. He couldn't see a way out if Lelouch wasn't willing to take it, and even he knew how impossible it would be for him to watch him ever hour of every day. To keep him from his goal, to keep Zero locked away, and Lelouch safe from himself. It wasn't possible, but he would do it if he had to break his legs in order to keep him safe. Knowing Lelouch it would probably come to that in the end.

His hands fingering the dark shades that had been lost in the space between the console he now sat at and the next one. Push there during the night to try and give him self more space to rest his head as he looks at the screen and the time. It was still very early, and he had more than enough time to get back to his dorm and try to get dress and ready for the day that had already come into being. Though time wasn't on his side, he had until this afternoon to try and figure out the mystery of Lelouch, or things could easily end in a check mate. Something that Lelouch was very proficient in, but, this wasn't a game …this time it was a situation of life and death. Both belonging to Lelouch, because, Suzaku was sure that this is the only way that the game Lelouch is playing could end.

Nothing good has every come out of a rebellion, or at least, that is what history has shown him.

Drip

Drip

Drip

The water drips as Lelouch went about the business of brushing his teeth. Lelouch's eyes locked on the mirror in front of him as he didn't see himself in his reflections, but the past and the future interlock in a battle of wills. He hadn't stay out too late last night, and he has indeed discovered that being Japanese or wearing shades weren't enough to protect one from his Geass. Thus, that left two factors to contribute to Suzaku's immunity, the fact that his shades probably didn't come from your average store shelves, and his past contact with C.C before Lelouch's own contract. Was that enough to make one immune?

Lelouch didn't know and asking C.C had of course been pointless.

The woman hadn't been much in the mood of answering questions, and more interested in asking her own. Though he had no wish to answers her either. He hadn't forgotten, she had already told him how best to deal with Suzaku, and it made his stomach turn to think how quick he had been to follow those instructions when his back had been against the wall. He would never do that again. He made that promise once he had calm down, and assure himself that that mistake had only taken place because he had been taken by surprise by Suzaku's discovery before. He had reacted in the heat of the moment, and he had shown his hand without it being necasary. There was other ways of dealing with him without Geassing him, especially considering the fact that he knew Suzaku would never turn him end. Though time wasn't on their side, it was really only a matter of time before Suzaku either found him self in front of the Black Knights line of fire, or he had Zero in his line of fire, but refuses to pull the trigger. Both would result in Suzaku getting himself killed, and Lelouch knew one thing for sure …he never wanted to see that happen again.

A smiling Suzaku standing between him and his Commander, refusing to take the gun from the man's hand and his Commander instead taking the same gun and shooting Suzaku with it.

It made him sick to his stomach.

"Why do you want to work for those backstabbing bastards?"

He mutters to himself, and reminds himself to ask that question later. Right now though, he was spending too much time in the bathroom as he quickly got about the job of getting ready.

Time seems to tick by quickly, as the day passes with the same regularity that had nearly driven him insane to begin with. The teachers talking and showing off things that he could easily master, his fellow students eating it up, and trying to keep their heads above water as he watches them all with a feeling mixed between contempt and jealousy. They didn't mind this world of mindless drivel, and he sometimes wish he could disappear into it as easily as they did. Let it swallow him whole, and live a life that wasn't plague with as many inconsistencies as his own. Though, if that was the case, then he wouldn't be in this situation that he was in to begin with. He never would have stood up to his father, and Nunnelly would probably be dead somewhere or forgotten by their father whom was only to happy to let his mother's murder go.

No his state of mind was essential, and though he would have to deal with the boredom of this mundane life. It was just one more obstacle that he would have to simply get over.

It was then that he noticed Suzaku looking over at him a bit nervously, and it startle him abit. It was true that this was the last class before their meeting, but so far today, he had acted normally. He had gone to eat lunch with him, and the rest of the student concil group as though it was nothing. He had laughed and joked as though last night hadn't even occurred, and if it wasn't for those moments when his glance would directed at him alone …Lelouch could have easily forgotten about the night prior. He hadn't even bothered to wear his shades, even though, Lelouch was fairly sure that Suzaku could have gotten away with it.

Shades on a Japanese meant that they had been abused recently, black eyes, or something else that had been done to their eyes. It was an acceptable trend to the point that he doubt that anyone in the school ground would have repermind him about wearing them though any other student would have been given a hard time for it. Thus, Lelouch had taken it two ways, one, Suzaku had decided everything that had happen with his eyes last night was a trick, or he felt comfortable that Lelouch wouldn't do anything to him in public. Though, why he was suddenly nervous now kind of escaped him. Or at least it did, until he hard a polite cough to his right, and he turned to see that the teacher was standing in front of him expectantly.

Homework

Lelouch was quick to retrieve his own to hand over to the teacher, and once he had passed by satisifyied that he had gotten his pound of flesh from him Lelouch flashed a subtle hand signal. No one else in the room would recognize it for anything else than simply stretching, but Suzaku's eyes went wide. He knew exactly what was being asked, and he gave his response back. A sagging of shoulders, and a downward glance, and Lelouch eyes narrowed.

He hadn't finished his homework.

Normally that wouldn't be such a big deal, it happens from time to time considering he was in the military, but this teacher. He had a deep hatred of the Japanese, everyone knew it, from the way that he reacted to Suzaku entering his classroom. The way he takes snipe shots at him whenever he gets the chance, and how no matter what Suzaku did it was never correct. A perfect score for Suzaku wouldn't be perfect even if the answers were all correct, and the last time he had missed turning in his assignment due to the military reasons the man had flown off the handle. He had literally told him that he shouldn't be allowed at this school, and was best suited for the slums.

Lelouch had stood to defend his friend, only to have Suzaku tell him with his gestures to let it go, so for him to be missing his homework now.

It wasn't a laughing matter.

The teacher moved slowly towards Suzaku as the time ticked by. His eyes looking up at the clock as though he was praying that the time would somehow sped up. Though it was enough as the teacher got to him, and the ensuring chaos was quick to descend as the man went up one side of Suzaku and down the other for something that had happen to over half of his class. Most weren't ready to try in that assignment yet, but only Suzaku was called out for it.

Lelouch had to bite his lower lip to keep from interfering in this.

It was much later than the plan time when they met. Suzaku had been held after class for his private lecture, and when he finally came to his room he looked a stiff. It was as if he had tried to let everything that happen simply bounce off of him, and it always made Lelouch mad. No one should be treated the way that Suzaku was simply because he was Japanese.

"So, are you ready to have our little talk now, Lelouch?"

Suzaku asked as he put the shades back on his face. It hurt a little to see the distrust there by that simple act, but he had after all been the one to put that into action. It was a precaution as he goes to put the key into the door, the gratiffi clear to Lelouch as the words go home, and return to the slums were outlined in big red and yellow words. It didn't exactly fill Lelouch with a sense of homely warmth as they went inside to see a room that seemed to scream …unoccupied. Even Suzaku seemed a little surprise at how empty it actually was as he saw a small spider race across the table for its web higher up on the wall. Dust bunnies seemingly to run at their intrusion though Lelouch knew it was more of an issue of the wind blowing them along their given path.

"Hahaha, I had plans to clean it up a little before you got here, but, you know."

Suzaku declares with a shy grin as his eyes met those of Lelouch's indigo ones. The shades did distort color a little a bit as Lelouch seems to get the idea that maybe, the reasoning for choosing his room had nothing to do with Suzaku's reasoning and more because he needed some help to get this room back into a reasonable appearance.

"Fine, I will help out while we talk."

-Chapter three finished.-


	5. Chapter 4: Climax

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**CLIMAX**

The room was filled with the sound of dusting. Neither teens said anything as they worked; the inner chess game was being played out in their heads as each thought of what best to say. This wasn't a game like any they had played before, there was more at stake than simple bragging rights, and this wasn't some game that could be reset at the end and done again. They had to be aware of the risk of what could happen with each word that was uttered.

This sort of game wasn't Suzaku's strong point when he was young, but over the years, he had learned how to watch his tongue and better how to think beyond the moment. A rash decision made when he was a child still haunts him as he swept the dust from the top shelves as Lelouch worked on table nearest to his bed. He saw a slight shift in the other's shoulders, and was quick to turn his back as Lelouch looked to see that Suzaku was completely absorbed in his work.

He had played out this conversation a million times in his head, but not one scenario had been like this. They were saying nothing, and pretty much wasting time here, or at least he was. As he saw how much dust they had cleared, he had to wonder if Suzaku didn't keep quiet because he wanted help to clean up his room. Pretty much they were halfway through, and he shook his head. Suzaku wasn't like that, but then again, the Suzaku from his past would have never joined the Britannia Army either. So, counting on things to be exactly the same as before was a foolish wish.

He took a deep breath to speak, and was interrupted.

"This is getting us nowhere." "How about we do it this way, I ask three questions and you have to answer them truthfully, and then you do the same?" "We each ask and answer one question, and the other asks and answers one question, until we have answered all three." "No more lies, no more secrets, I want to know really what is happening to you, and I bet you want to know the same with me."

Suzaku replies. As always, he is the first to strike as Lelouch sighs lightly. He wasn't upset with that plan, he had a good feeling anyway that Suzaku had pretty much figured him out, but a chance to find out for sure is worth it. Especially considering, he knew that Suzaku would play by the rules, whether it benefited him to do so or not, and Lelouch had every plan of making his questions worthless.

"Sure, let's do it that way then."

Lelouch declares as Suzaku turns to face him. Lelouch taking a seat on the bed as Suzaku pulls out a chair, and turns it backwards so that he can rest his elbows on the chair's back.

"So, who goes first?"

Suzaku asks as Lelouch shrugs his shoulders.

"I might as well." "Tell me, back in the tunnels how did you survive getting shot like that." "I doubt that they would bother to heal a traitor."

Lelouch asks as Suzaku smiles lightly.

"I got lucky on two accounts first off, the bullet didn't sink as deep as it could have."

His hand reached into the breast pocket of his uniform as he pulls out the watch that was given to him by his father, and held it out for Lelouch to look at it.

"The bullet struck this watch, and was unable to penetrate as far into my body because of it." "So, I am not going to say I wasn't shot, but, if it hadn't hit the watch first …I would be dead now."

Lelouch looked at it with narrowed eyes as he waited for Suzaku to finish.

"Also, it would seem that my test scores were enough to make me some interesting friends." "They were the ones whom found me after the incident, and the reason I changed from being in the infantry to being a part of the engineering corps."

He waited patiently for Suzaku to tell him who they were, but, it would seem that that didn't come across as being necessary to answer Lelouch's question. It would seem that he plan to withhold information, and two could play that game as as he looked at Suzaku as he asked.

"So, how did you survive?" "They shot me, and from the looks of things they were more than willing to do the same to you."

Suzaku already had some idea of the answer, but, he wanted to hear it from Lelouch's mouth.

"The girl that came out of the capsule rescued me."

Lelouch stated quite sharply, and then he said nothing more. Suzaku could see that unlike him, he would provide no more information than what it took to answer the question as his impatience got the better of him and he blurted out after a few moments.

"How?"

"That's two questions, if we are doing this right it's my turn to ask a question now."

Suzaku was speechless as he waited on him to come up with a question.

"Why didn't you join Zero when he rescued you?" "It's obvious that the Britannia was going to use you as a sacrificial lamb to slaughter."

Lelouch asked as if he wasn't Zero. It was un-necessary at this point, but, Suzaku could guess that he had gotten used to think of himself as two separate people, Lelouch and Zero, so he didn't question it.

"Honestly, I wanted to prove my innocents, because, unlike Zero, I can't simply go into hiding." "There are things that I want to accomplish that can't be done as a rebel, and besides, their way of doing things hurt the civilians more than it does the military." "In case, you weren't listening to me before."

Lelouch folded his arms at that note as he waited for the question to come.

"So, how did that girl from the capsule rescue you?"

Like a dog with a bone, Suzaku wasn't going to let go of that question.

"She gave me the power to defend myself."

Once more, it was only a one sentence answer as Suzaku rolled his eyes in frustration. He had wasted two questions, and pretty much gotten only one answer. Though, his last one wasn't going to be so easy to dodge as he waited for Lelouch to give him his final question as well.

"Considering that you now know, that I am Zero, what do you plan to do now?"

Suzaku had a feeling it would be along those lines as he sighs lightly.

"I won't turn you in, that is for sure, and as I said before I won't allow you to continue on your destructive path either." "I will find some way to save you ….even if it's from yourself."

The words sent a shiver down Lelouch's spine as he looked at his friend in surprise. There was no hatred, no malice, but a sense of complete certainty. A feeling that he would surely do anything to save him, and it made him looked away slightly with a pang of guilt. This was the same friend he had tried only one day before to take away his free will, to force him to do something against his own code.

"I also have no plans of quitting the military either." "It's not like; they would just allow me to quit either for your information." "Japanese are the least liked in the military right at this moment, and their retirement tend to be brutal affairs that can end up with the person being crippled just so their fear of training their own Japanese rebellion forces can be cleared." "It was on those grounds that Clovis was allowed to even entertain the thought of having Japanese in the military."

Suzaku added.

He wanted to make sure that Lelouch understood the consequences for him trying to force Suzaku out of the military again. This time, Lelouch eyes flicker lightly. It wasn't that he would ever admit he was wrong, but he could see that Lelouch understood what he had said as he thought about his final question.

"Now, that you are Zero, what are your plans from here?" "In other words, what are your objectives for becoming Zero?"

"That's simple I am going to bring the Britannia to its knees." "I will take revenge on my father, and I will make a future for Nunnelly."

Lelouch declares, and Suzaku shook his head.

"Revenge on your father won't make you feel better, and bringing down Britannia will only lead to chaos." "I am sure that is not the future that Nunnelly wants."

Suzaku counters back as Jade met Indigo.

"Besides, with that power of yours you could do much more than just bring down Britannia." "You could reinstate your position as a prince of Britannia, and Nunnelly's as princess!" "You could take back the throne, and be a huge influence on…"

"Shut UP!"

Lelouch suddenly yells at Suzaku.

"Go back that man, to crawl on our bellies for a hand out, or to become part of that political hornet's nest that claimed my mother's life." "Never!"

Suzaku eyes narrowed with those words.

"Brat, you are still a spoil child that don't understand anything."

Suzaku's words mirrored words from the past as his eyes went wide.

"Do, you seriously think that what you are doing now is going to do anyone any good?" "If anyone does any real research into that event, they would find out exactly what I did, and not only will your life be over, but so will Nunnelly's." "Worst still, if any of the rebels find out whom you really are, things will really turn nasty for you, and you know it as well as me." "They only rally behind you, because they don't know who you are, but, one day they will find out." "What then?"

Though Lelouch didn't hear much of any of this as his eyes took a darker shade of violet. More reddish than blue, he actually took a step and swung at Suzaku as the boy easily block the move, and like when then they were children …he blocked with one hand, and then struck out with his other towards his mid. It was all done in a fraction of a second, instinct, and no thought as Lelouch went down clutching his stomach as Suzaku backed up a few steps.

"You can't be Zero forever."

He hissed as Lelouch looked at him. His breath caught in his throat as he struggles to gather enough to breathe properly as Suzaku stays light on his feet. This was kind of how their arguments used to go when they were children as he waited for Lelouch to get up. A wait that last for a few minutes as he is finally able to gather enough air to stand up as one hand grips the dust buster as he turns it on reverse and flings it into the air in front of Suzaku whom moves to knock it out of the air spreading dust in front of him as some gets into his eyes.

Coughing lightly, Lelouch lunges at him.

"DO you seriously think you are any better?" "They left me and Nunnelly to die in that war and my father wouldn't even look at Nunnelly after what happen to my mother." "In his own words, he pretty much told me, they will only keep you around as long as you are useful." "The Lapdog for the Britannia's, what do you hope to truly gain?" "Do, you think they will seriously treat you as an equal?" "Do you hope that they will forget all their hatred, or that they will ever look on those that they conqueror as more than insects that they have crushed?"

"Their motto is survival of the fittest!"

Lelouch felt his body score a hit as he knocks Suzaku to the ground. The boy was still rubbing at his eye as one hand grabs the front of Lelouch's school uniform, and one knee manages to curl in between them. A quick rock backwards and Lelouch founds himself flying over Suzaku's head to land on the ground behind him with a heavy Thud.

The wind was knocked out of him.

"That's why I want to change them from the inside I want to make sure that there is no more Nunnelly's or any more like you, Lelouch." "It may take my entire life, but I want to make amends for the past, and I can tell you ….blood isn't going to do it." "All it does is make the gap between us grow wider, and create a chance that the war from 7 years ago could come back." "That was hell, maybe, you don't realize it because it wasn't people that you knew …children that you played with, or maybe, because the Ashford took you in …you never had to beg for food or watch as a child younger than you died from simple hunger." "Things are bad, but, it's nothing like that."

"I don't want to go back to that again ever, I don't want to be responsible for such an event occurring again, and if it means that everyone will hate me." "I accept it, I deserve it."

Suzaku declares as one hand went over his face. Covering up both eyes, Suzaku seemed to be trying to get as much of the dust out of his face as Lelouch was forced to listen to his words in between painful gasps of air. The two now lay with their heads only a foot from the other. Both boys now lay with their back against the hard floor, and their eyes trying to piece through the dust that floated on the air to see the ceiling through it all.

~ Responsible~ I deserve~

Why were such words as those in Suzaku's vocabulary? How could a ten year old have been responsible for that hell?

Catching his breath, Lelouch declares lightly.

"When did you become such a coward?"

It sent a slight chill down Suzaku's spine to be called that. In his life, he was the second one to do such a thing as he remembered announcing his decision to the ones that had saved his life after the war ended. The question had been the same, as he looked at the ceiling at the dust that they had released back into the air as it settles.

"I became that the day that I took you and Nunnelly from the Kururugi estate."

Lelouch felt a tremble in his soul as he heard that. The night that Nunnelly had been snatched from him by Suzaku's father as they tried to use the hostages that they had been taking care of against Britannia, something that Lelouch knew was useless, as Suzaku rescued them that night. The two kids had to alternate carrying Nunnelly on their backs as they put as much distances between themselves and that place as they disappeared into the darkness in an act of true friendship, but how did that make Suzaku a coward?

"I don't understand?" "Do you think if you had stayed with your father his fate would have been different?" "Do you seriously think you should have returned home after you save us?"

Lelouch asked, as Suzaku actually laughed at his words.

"No."

"Then, why are you responsible?"

"I don't know ….I just is."

Lelouch eyes narrowed. That was a lie, Suzaku knew why he was responsible, but he just didn't want to say it. He laughed lightly at that as he replies smugly.

"What happen to telling only the truth?"

"This has nothing to do with our three questions."

Suzaku declares as he sat up. His shades lying where they had fallen on the floor as Lelouch got up as well. Indigo met Jade then, as the two friends stare into each other's eyes. This was the chance that Lelouch was waiting on. He could easily turn him into his unwilling slave, he could pry the secrets that he was trying to hide from him, or he could simply make him forget everything that had happen. Though what he chose to do was none of those things.

"This is getting us nowhere." "It seems we won't be able to agree on this, so, I am going to ask you for this one favor." "If it does turn out bad, protect Nunnelly, be her knight."

Suzaku was a little surprise by the sudden change in tone. He looked at his hands, and then turns his face back towards Lelouch.

"Fine, but I want you to promise me something as well." "No matter what happens, you won't get yourself killed in all of this." "I don't want to have to be the one to tell Nunnelly that you are Zero, or do I want to be the one to have to deliver the news of your death."

Lelouch blinks at this. Suzaku might have changed in some ways, but in others he was still the same. Nunnelly was the reason that the two boys had become friends, and to protect her, he is willing to do just about anything. He was glad that he had made this decision last night, that instead of trying to change him, to give him the room to decide on his own what to do. Even if they are enemies, even on the opposite side of the battlefield, with it came to Nunnelly they were united. Though how this would affect things in the future was completely unknown to him as he stands up and looks at the mess they had made.

"Fine, but, just so you know, when you get tired of being the Britannia's lapdog you can always join the rebellion."

"Same here, when you get tired of your pointless games, I can help you find a way to change Britannia from within."

Suzaku declares he did the same.

"Ha, though I got one more favor to ask before you go." "Umm…could you help me clean up the room again?"

Lelouch smirked as he turned for the door.

"Sorry, I think I have spent enough time with you today." "Nunnelly will get worried if I stay out too late."

Suzaku groans as Lelouch shut the door, and immediately his hands shot towards his back and stomach as the pain ripple between them. It was going to be a long night for him, as he walked painfully back towards his room. Lelouch was sure he was going to have two nice purple bruises by the time he got home.

~The rock disappeared into the pond depths as the water stirs and churns for but a moment, as the surface eventually goes back to its initial calmness. Still once more, but never the same, for the rock has settle into the past, and would in time effect the future~

**THE END**


	6. Chapter 5: Epiologue

**Epilogue**

**The sound of the trains on the track …was soothing as Suzaku's head dropped only for him to quickly try and correct his positioning. The jarring effect waking him as he looks out of the corner of his eye at his best friend and most dangerous enemy. Lelouch seems to be sleeping, but, Suzaku knew better than to trust appearances. Since, he had discovered his friend's duo persona it has become a game of dog and cat, with him playing the role of the clumsy dog.**

**Though he had promised to keep him out of trouble it was proving harder than he thought. The incident in the ghetto with Cornelia had proven that as his military duty and his duty to friend had taken him in two different directions. He had never been more stressed out to be doing simply maintenance tests on the Lancelot, and while he was doing that ….Lelouch was out causing trouble. Though from what he had heard, only Zero himself had escaped and the rest …those whom had found a peaceful death were left on the battlefield, but those that hadn't died instantly where captive of Cornelia. Their screams were straight from hell, but, it didn't matter Lelouch had thankfully left no trail.**

**Suzaku had seen about that himself.**

**He snaps back to reality with a yawn as he once more glances over at Lelouch, and adjusts the dark shades on his face. He didn't really think that Lelouch would try that trick again, but, he didn't want to risk it, especially today. He shifted his eyes to stare at the door, a flimsy door, and a single hallway was all that separated the cat from the mouse. As his mind drifted to the Britiannia princess that had been invited to this little trip during one of her visits to the school, and he felt like groaning …though it would seem that he was beaten to that by Lelouch as he moans lightly. **

**Quicken of breath, and a look of pain etches itself across Lelouch's face as Suzaku looks over to see that Rival hadn't noticed this fact. His mind was on the sound of someone at the door, and he was up to deal with that. This left Suzaku's interest solely in waking him up …which was not an easy task since calling his name wasn't enough to get him up. Two of the girls enter the room, and from the look in their eyes they were up to mischief, it was urgent now …as Suzaku hear soft murmurs that can be taken as words.**

"**Lelouch."**

**He moves to not only wake him with his voice, but by moving the hand that held up his head. That was enough to wake him as everyone looks at him with concern as Suzaku ask in a near whisper if he was okay.**

" **A nightmare."**

**Lelouch replies back lowly and things continue as though normal from there. But, Suzaku knew better …Lelouch was pale in the face and he had a slightly distant look on his face. Only one thing did that to Lelouch, and Suzaku recognized the symptoms from their past together, and that was a dream about his life before he arrived in japan. A dream about the man that is his father, or maybe about the death of his mother, because one if not both of those things are his mores painful memories and darkest nightmares. With the two girls in the room, though things seemed to grow more cheerful, but, Suzaku couldn't help noticing that Lelouch's laugh would be more hallow than normal, and that he was slower to catch onto things. He was distracted, and Suzaku knew why.**

**The past can be a horrible thing. **

**It can be a stepping stone or a stone around one's neck. He look onwards, and wonder exactly what his past was for him, and his hand without him knowing it rubbed lightly at the base of his neck.**

**One day, he would release this stone around his neck and let that burden fall away from him. Until then, he would work hard to make amends for the mistake that he has made, and try to make sure that others didn't make the same mistake.**

**His eyes flicker over to Lelouch as the train comes to a stop.**

**The past would not decide their future.**

----The river divides------ Epilogue end-------


End file.
